Our Preschool Day

The preschool day begins with playtime, followed by “morning meeting,” which is group time for sharing experiences and ideas and learning about the day’s coming attractions. Working in small groups, students rotate through short class periods (less than 20 minutes) of age-appropriate lessons in literacy, math, social skills, science, art, music and movement, and Handwriting Without Tears (for 3s and Pre-Ks). We offer hands-on activities and experiences that are fun, interesting, and challenging.

Individual Work (Cubby Time) All preschoolers (2s, 3s, and Pre-Ks) receive individual attention in both literacy and math (in addition to group literacy and math). Teachers are assigned a certain number of children with whom they meet for individual work each day. Each child advances through these lessons at his/her own speed. We allow the child’s interests, abilities, and level of maturity to guide us in determining the progress of instruction.

Literacy Early literacy helps a child build a foundation for reading. We employ a range of instructional strategies and activities to introduce the idea of sound/symbol correspondences, develop vocabulary, and lay the groundwork for reading comprehension. Young students are involved in reading readiness to help them prepare for reading.

Math We use a Singapore Math curriculum at Runnels, with a focus on the numbers 0 - 10 at the preschool level.

Science Students participate in age-appropriate, hands-on science activities and experiments. Throughout the school year, students engage in a variety of project-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities designed for their level of maturity. STEM projects encourage children to use problem solving and creativity as they learn about their world.

Social Skills and Handwriting The curriculum focuses on taking turns, the courteous exchange of ideas, sharing materials, and interacting with adults and other children. Starting with what the child knows and is able to do, teachers help scaffold social learning by presenting interactive experiences that expand the child’s understanding of the world and his/her place in it. Social Skills and Handwriting are done on alternate days. We introduce portions of the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum to the 3s and Pre-Kindergarten students.

Story Time Story time is essential to the early childhood curriculum. It puts young children on track to become successful, independent readers. Stories expand children’s horizons and fuel their imaginations. Seeing a teacher’s pleasure and involvement in interpretive reading also shows children that reading is fun.

Music and Movement Young children enjoy listening to music, singing songs, and moving to a beat. Music introduces children to melody and rhythm, which help develop memory and stimulate the brain. Music and movement class offers children a way to release energy productively and creatively.

Art Preschool students learn about the elements of art – line, shape, color, form and texture – through age-appropriate creative activities that develop imagination, enrich experience, and sharpen observational skills. In addition, our Pre-K students are introduced to a different artist each month. After learning about the artist, they work on a project in the artist's style.

Sample Schedules

2s
Outdoor Play
Morning Meeting
Attendance/Weather Watchers
Music and Movement
Story Time
Snack
Small Group Rotations (Literacy/Social Skills/Science/Math/Art)
Center Town
Outside Play
Lunch
Naptime
Outside Play
Departure/Aftercare